Posted by Choosing the right computer for programming can be challenging, but not as much as you think. Spending some time understanding the specifications is important to make an informed decision and get the right device without crossing your budget.
While you can write code on most desktops with average specifications, selecting an appropriate device will improve your productivity. The kind of programming you do very much decides the type of computer you need to seamlessly handle relevant tasks.
When you are buying a development machine for your work-specific needs, it has to be robust. The reason is that buying a coding laptop is probably a long-term investment as you won’t be buying it every second year.
So, it’s a no-one-size-fits-all approach that you must follow, given that you are a full-time developer and this device is going to be your primary coding laptop.
Let’s now move on to the tips to get the right coding computer.
1. Better Storage for Large-Volume Files
If you want your laptop to work efficiently without any performance lags, make sure it is equipped with huge storage. Anything less than 512GB storage volume is not recommended for programmers.
You will be downloading coding tools and would require volumes of gigabytes for storing large files. Plus, having an SSD will make the difference you deserve as they run on flash technology to read and write data faster.
Another way to speed up your system is by enabling cookies, as you might be visiting a few websites regularly. Check out https://setapp.com/how-to/enable-cookies-on-mac to learn more about cookie management.
2. Higher RAM for Multitasking
RAM is one major aspect that describes the functioning of devices and the productivity you showcase in your day-to-day tasks. As a coder, you would require running heavy IDEs as well as virtual machines.
Due to the resource-intensive nature of these tasks, they occupy a lot of memory. At times, you may also need to run multiple massive programs on your computer, which would only take a toll on the computer, making it slower.
That’s why choosing a laptop with plenty of memory is essential for programmers. Even if you are a web developer, your computer would require a lot more energy to compile programs and handle development tools.
3. Bigger Display for More Screen Estate
Being a programmer means spending more time sitting in front of the computer screen, writing and compiling codes. The higher quality screen will put a little strain on your eyes, which is good. Nothing can give you a better screen experience than a 27-inches monitor.
If you are buying a laptop, opt for at least a 15-inches screen. However, you may want to get a 13-inches or 14-inches screen for a portable device. Screen resolution is another aspect that you must keep in mind while buying a computer for coding.
A 4K display can be an ideal pick, but it will add to the cost. You may also consider buying an external screen which you can also use as an extended display to get ample screen estate. It will also boost your screen experience while gaming.
4. Faster Processor for Glitch Free Experience
Regardless of the operating system you buy, investing in a faster processor is essential. The higher the cores, the better. A faster processor with an impressive clock speed is important to handle massive development projects as well as graphic-intensive applications.
A faster processor will prevent you from lagging when you are multitasking and juggling between apps, windows, and multiple screens. An Intel Core i5 is a bare minimum; however, we recommend you buy at least an Intel Core i7 for faster processing of data.
If you are a gaming professional and are involved in development processes, having an Intel i7 processor will give you the performance you need to work seamlessly. A dedicated graphics card is another mandatory requirement for gaming developers.
5. Keyboard For a Comfortable Coding Session
Whether you are a part-time or a full-time software programmer, you share one thing in common – typing long codes. Users mostly ignore the importance of having a good ergonomics keyboard, but it makes a lot of difference to your work efficiency.
When you are spending endless hours coding, the sturdiness of keys matters. Backlit can be important for some coding professionals based on specific preferences. Make sure to buy a high-quality keyboard, and don’t forget to spend time learning about different layouts.
Some keyboards have different positioning for Fn, Enter, Ctrl, and Backspace keys which can take time to get acquainted. So, check all these features upfront when buying a keyboard for your coding computer.
Conclusion
With the best specification in place, you can easily install virtual machine environments. A Virtual machine will allow you to boot into the operating system as per your requirement, such as Linux, for example.
If you plan to buy a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, you get the flexibility to run macOS and Windows occasionally, when required. Since a computer is a long-term purchase, you need to consider your needs to make the right decision and invest wisely in the device.
One comment
Comments are closed.